WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[feaito]

While "Marie Antoinette" (1938) and Shearer's perfromance have grown on me over the years with each viewing, I have always wondered what could have been of this film if it had been directed by Sidney Franklin (as Thalberg and Norma Shearer wanted) in Technicolor.

[MikeBSG]

On Friday, my son and I watched "Safety Last" (1923).

Hard to believe that this movie is 90 years old. Very enjoyable. What struck me this time was how simple it all was. Harold goes to the city and wants to impress his girl. He gets into three situations of discomfort/scariness: he is almost late for work, he gets called to the boss' office, and he has to climb a skyscraper. Okay, very few people have had to do the third one, but the first two are pretty common experiences.

I love the opening and closing of this movie. Both are very cleverly done.

I was also impressed during the climbing sequence how the action followed 1) Harold climbing the building 2) his buddy trying to flee the cops 3) the drunk on the sidewalk and 4) Harold's girlfriend. It all worked together and gave us some relief from Harold's ordeal in climbing the building.

My son liked the movie a lot, especially the skyscraper scene. No CGI here.

[MikeBSG]

Today I watched "What Price Glory" (1952) directed by John Ford.

I had never heard good things about this film. But, I thought, how bad can a John Ford movie be? Heck, I even like "Two Rode Together."

This movie just didn't work. There were some good moments, such was when Quirt sends two guys to the stockade so they won't get killed in battle, but mostly I just sat there and thought "Howard Hawks would do a better job with this." (I know Raoul Walsh made a silent version that is highly regarded, but I haven't seen it.)

There was one scene at the front, with a wounded soldier who gets all emotional and yells at Cagney "What price glory?" that just seemed to come out of nowhere and utterly failed to fit. Maybe Ford's mind was elsewhere, like on "the Quiet Man," but this movie struck me as a total misfire.

[JackFavell]

You must see the Raoul Walsh version, Mike.

[Rita Hayworth]

American Movie Classics

Showing Vertigo, Rear Window, Psycho, and The Birds today ... I have all four of these on DVD's ... but those who wants to watch these movies today ... Vertigo starts in a hour and proceed running all four of these movies in order of appearance.

[RedRiver]

This is the best of "Hollywood Hitchcock." It could be argued that he did his best work in England. But these are some fine movies.

[MikeBSG]

Today I watched "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) directed by Gil Junger.

I didn't see this movie when it first came out, but I had heard great things about it. It is "The Taming of the Shrew" set in a 1990s American high school.

It is actually a lot of fun. Some subplots appear and disappear, but overall the conceit holds this film together, and Julia Stiles, who plays Kat, does a superb job. The title of the film comes from a poem she reads at the movie's climax, and while this movie is a comedy, Stiles brings real emotion to this climactic scene and gives this movie heart.

This isn't a great movie, but it is a good one, and it is well worth seeing for anyone looking for an offbeat way of filming Shakespeare.

[JackFavell]

I really think Julia Stiles is so underrated. There was a time when I thought she'd be the next big star. This is a well done movie, nothing earth shattering, but good for what it is trying to be.

Have you seen Clueless, Mike? It's my favorite of the literary classics turned into teen comedies. It really works!

[RedRiver]

This has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but a teenager movie I enjoyed was something called GO! From the late 1990s or so, it's the story of a drug score. But it's fairly lighthearted in spite of the subject matter. Lightning paced, it depicts a group of young people seeking, purchasing and using their substance of choice, then running wild in a few other ways.

With a RASHOMON like point of view, the story is told by several people. Of course, you get several versions of the facts! But to me, that's not the movie's selling point. I like the rapid, train ride of a pace. Aptly titled, GO! is about people in a hurry. To get where? And do what? They don't really care. Just GO!

[JackFavell]

Red, that movie sounds good. I'll be on the lookout for it.

[CineMaven]

JACKAAAAAY - I'm with you in thinking JULIA STILES was going to be the next big thing. I thought she was a smart actress. ( Maybe that was the problem? ) And then there was CLAIRE DANES, now making a big splash on TV ( "Homeland" ) but I thought the movies would really embrace her as well. Who knows why these things happen. Who will Jodie Foster pass the baton to?



I'm a big fan of JENNIFER LAWRENCE. She's my girl! Happy she won the Oscar, and seems to have a sense of humor about herself. ( Did you see how she handled tripping up the stairs in her gown as she went to accept it? ) I s'pose I'll have to see this latest sequel of "The Hunger Games." ( Ack! ) But did you ever see her in "WInter's Bone"? Unbelievable. You must. THAT was her Oscar performance. She's coming out in a new movie "American Hustle" a 70's drama starring herself along with Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner and Bradley Cooper. I'm watching her careeer.

[JackFavell]

You've picked three of my favorites! I can't wait to see Hunger Games Catching Fire. The books were great, with a plot that actually means something about the way we live in our technology crazy age, they actually have a great moral center for today's teens. The first movie was well done and Jennifer Lawrence really surprised me. She's a very very good actress, but doesn't seem full of herself. Yes I watched her trip over her gown, and the humor she seems to have, which is a big plus in Hollywood, that's for sure. She seems grounded.

[RedRiver]

I understand she's from a place called Kentucky...

[Rita Hayworth]

Mr. Nice Guy - Jackie Chan 1997 Movie

It is a great adventure, loaded with slapstick comedy, amazing kung-fu artistry of Jackie Chan, and mob with drugs on their minds and a gang that's in war with them. This is one of the best Jackie Chan movies that I seen and I always have a soft heart to him. I know that this isn't everybody's cup of tea - but I find it quite funny and its has a mind of its own. Jackie Chan is one of the most unique actors ever graced the Silver Screen.

It was on Encore and I just loved it ... and I haven't seen this movie for years ...